Conveyer type display rack



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ATTO R N EYB Patented July 15, A1952 UNITED STATES PATENT ori-"iceHarold Anthony Block, Manistee, Mich. Application October 14, 1947,Serial No. 779,782

. 2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a display rack of the conveyor type. V It isan object of the present invention to provide a display rack adapted toconvey articles of merchandise such as wall paper samples toward theends of the rack where they will be automatically turned to displaytheir opposite sides as they pass about the end to be returned along theopposite side of the rack and wherein there is adequate means forconfining the conveyor belt to a straight path without folds while beingextended along the sides of the rack, and wherein an adjustment can beeiiected at the sides of the conveyor belt as well as at the ends totighten or spread the conveyor.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a display rack ofthe conveyor type adapted to handle large articles which is of simpleconstruction, easy to operate, easy to adjust and efcient in operation.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the display rack embodying the features ofthe present invention,

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the display rack,

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the display rack,

Fig. 4 is a transversesectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4,

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of one of the bearingunits or the verticallyextending drive and idler shafts,

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the adjustable bearing arrangement shown inFig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view looking through thebearing unit shown in Fig. 6 and on line 8-8 of Fig. 7,

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the brackets serving to supportone of the guide wires,

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevational view of the conveyorand the guide Wires,

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view, in elevation, taken on line of Fig.10.

Referring now to the figures, 2| represents a pipe supporting frameformed of pipe pieces and couplings and extending vertically upwardlyfor sufcient height to support long articles and having end pieces 22and intermediate supporting pipes 23 at the center of the frame. To thebottom of the frame and at each corner thereof are caster supportingwheels 24. Through the frame at an intermediate elevation arehorizontally extending pipes 25 and 26. v

Within the frame there is mounted a conveyor 21 comprising upper andlower continuous Vbelts 28 and 29 which are connected to opposite endsof vertically-extending wooden strips 3|, Figs. 10 and 11. Thecontinuous belt 28 is connected to the upper ends of strip 3| by a bolt32 and this same boltl extends through an eye member 33 having a shank34 for engagement with an upper guide wire 35. A nut 36 is secured tothe bolt 32. To the lower end of the wooden strip 3| continuous belt 29is connected in a similar manner and an eye 3171s connected thereto forengagement with a lowerl guide wire 38. These guide wires serve toretain the conveyor strips 3| in an upright manner throughout theirtravel about the rack. Extending outwardly from each one of the woodenstrips 3| is a rod or arm 39 over which merchandise can be extended.Such merchandise may be in the nature of wall paper designs or textilegoods.

To the center of the rack there is extended laterally therefrom and fromthe opposite sides of a center post a bracket 4| formed of U- shapedmembers 42 and 43. These U-shaped members respectively support tracks 44of angle section and are secured to the brackets by bolts 45. Thebracket 4| `is secured to the central pipe 23 by fastening bolts 46 andclamp plates41`, and extending outwardly from the bracket members 42 and43 are U-shaped bracket extensions 48 and 49. On each set of tracks 44there is mounted a ring 5| adapted to contain a ball bearing unit 52which may be held in place vwithin the Ting by the heads of the bolts45, Fig. 1. Adjustable screws 53 are connected respectively to each ofthe bracket extensions 48 and 49 for adjusting outwardly and guidingupper guide wire 35. In the upper end of the ball bearing unit 52 thereis journalled a vertically-extending idler shaft 54 having an upperpulley 55 thereon for receiving V-belt 2B and a lower pulley 56 thereonfor receiving lower V-belt 29.

At a lower elevation beneath the conveyor 21 are brackets 58 havingsimilar construction to brackets 4| and having tracks 6|, Fig. '7, onwhich is supported a bottom ring 62 having a ball bearing unit 63therein. Extending upwardly from bracket 58 are vertical supportingscrews 65 adapted to support and carry transverse members 66 havingextensions 61 thereon. The bottom guide wires 38 are divided and theends of the respective wires have a turn buckle 68 for tightening thesame about projections 69 on the extensions 61. The transverse membersare braced longitudinally by diagonal braces 1| Accordingly the conveyor21 will be retained outwardly and spread apart at the center of theframe.

As viewed in Fig. 4 a similar construction having a lower conveyor canbe had. This constructlon is indicated generally at 13 in Fig. 4.

At each end of the frame there is connected a plurality of U-shapedbrackets 14. These brackets have tracks 1E on which there is rested alarge ring 11 having a ball bearing unit 18 therein. Clamping screws 19extend between the ring 11 and the unit 18 to releasably retain the ballbearing unit within the ring. At the end of the bracket is a shaft 80 onwhich is hinged between spacer elements 8|, a rod 82 whichA extendsthrough the ring 11 whereby to provide for means for taking up the slackin the conveyor by the adjustment of a nut 84 on the rod 82. As the nut84 is tightened the ring will be adjusted outwardly. Between the ballbearing units there extends a shaft 86 having upper and lower pulleys 81and 88 thereon for receiving'the continuous belts 28 and 29. Attachingclamps 89 fix the brackets 14 to an end pipe. At one side of the framethere is mounted a bracket 9| having a pulley 92 adapted to be operatedby a hand crank 93. The pulley 92 is connected by a belt 94 to a pulley95 on the shaft 86. As the crank 93 is turned the shaft 8S is turned andthe conveyor 21 will be moved to present different articles ofmerchandise at the end of the frame.

The upper guide wire 35 extends about a downwardly bent member 96 at theend of the frame. Each of the lower guide wires 38 is supported about abracket construction 91 shown in Fig. 9. This bracket construction hasextensions 98 with pins 99 thereon adapted to be surrounded by the Wire38.

The opposite end of the frame has a similar arrangement and thearrangements for the lower conveyor of the frame are similar. While thedescription has been carried on with reference to the top conveyorconstruction it shall be understood that the bottom conveyorconstruction is almost identical and is similarly constructed andarranged upon the pipe frame.

While various changesv may be made in the detail construction it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A display rack comprising a supporting frame formed of interconnectedframe pieces ex- 4 tending vertically and horizontally and includingvertical end and intermediate pieces, a conveyor mounted on saidsupporting frame and comprising vertically spaced continuous belts andspaced vertical interconnecting pieces between and connected to thebelts and having supporting members thereon, pulley devices mounted atthe opposite ends of the supporting frame for supporting the belts,means mounted on the frame for operating one of said pulley devices tooperate the conveyor, a spread idler pulley device mounted on theintermediate pieces of the frame vfor maintaining the conveyor spreadapart at the center of the frame, L-shaped members connected to andsupported by the opposite ends of the frame with the vertical portionsthereof positioned outwardly of the plane of the vertical end pieces,first bracket devices supported by the vertical end pieces, secondbracket devices supported by the intermediate pieces, upper guide meansconnected to the lower end of the vertical portions of the L-shapedmembers, and to the spread idler pulley device, lower guide meansconnected to the iirst and second bracket devices and upper and lowerextensions on said vertical interconnecting pieces engaging said guidemeans with the upper extensions inwardly of the upper guide means andthe lower extensions outwardly of the lower guide means.

2. A display rack as in claim 1 wherein a U- shaped bracket extension ismounted on each of said second bracket devices and extends outwardlythereof in opposed relation to each other and an adjusting screwconnected to each of said bracket extensions and having an inner hookedend which is adapted to engage said upper guide means for outwardlyadjusting said upper guide means.

HAROLD ANTHONY BLOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record-in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 257,703 Hilbers May 9, 1882327,000 Marshall Sept. 29, 1885 514,270 Ober Feb. 6, 1894 889,618 KharasJune 2, 1908 928,890 Kaufman July 27, 1909 1,717,246 Perling June l1,1929 2,155,583 Bonnar Apr. 25, 1939

